Collapsible pattern head for hair cutting, waving or styling



March 21, 1961 H. A. LU

COLLAPSIBLE PATTERN CUTTING, WAVING Filed Nov. 26

Fig. 7

INVENTOR. HARRY A. LUTZ WZMW ATTORNEY United States Patent TING, WAVIN G 0R STYLING Harry A. Lutz, Elkins Park, Pa. (285 Shoemaker Road, Huntingdon Valley, Pa.)

Filed Nov. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 776,276 6 Claims. (CI. 35-59 This invention appertains to a collapsible three-dimensional pattern head for home use in illustrating methods of hair styling, permanent waving and hair cut-ting and as a training aidfor beauticians.

Heretofore, flat hair patterns separately representing the front, side, back and top views of the head were used as the conventional method of beauty culture instruction. The inability of most trainees to properly relate these sectionized views to an actual three-dimensional head created confusion and thereby minimized their value. The use at home of these sectionized views to actually reproduce a particular coiifure would be even more confusing.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a pattern head which is light in weight, collapsible to a flat condition as a space saver and yet capable of assembly into a three-dimensional form with ease of manipulation, thereby overcoming the disadvantages of the flat sectionized views.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible pattern head of the character described which is inflatable to an attractive three-dimensional form and a collapsible base to support the same, which base is easily assembled and provided with a valve means to close off the inflated head that requires a minimum of manipulation to operate.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible pattern head of the character described which is relatively inexpensive yet sufficiently versatile to represent the widest variety of coiffures.

These and other objects will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the base members;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the other base member;

Figure 5 is an elevation of another form of the invention;

Figure 6 is an elevation of one of the base members shown in Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is an elevation of the other base member shown in Figure 5.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings wherein similar reference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout. In the form of the invention shown in Figures 1-4, the unit is generally indicated at 10 and includes an inflatable member 12 and a collapsible base 14. The inflatable member is fabricated of a stretchable material such as rubber or suitable synthetic plastic and includes a neck 16 for admission of air, preferably terminating in a head portion 18. When inflated, the member generally assumes a spherical or tear-drop shape with a dome or scalp portion 20 opposite the neck.

At one side of the member, facial indicia 22 are provided as are hair styling, waving or hair cutting indicia 24 over the scalp or dome portion 20. It should here 2,975,534 Patented Mar. 21, 1961 be understood that the term hair styling as used in the claims is intended to mean any arrangement of coifiure indicia, be it for hair setting, hair Waving and/or hair cutting. Any suitable method, as by hand, screen printing, etc., may be used to apply the indicia to the inflatable member.

The base 14 comprises a plurality, preferably two, of substantially flat elongated members or plates 26 and 28 fabricated of a light weight material, preferably a plastic such as polyethylene, etc. A means is provided to removably retain the plates in crossed relationship, the same comprising inter-engaging slots, one 30 located centrally of plate 26 and opening through its upper edge 32, the other 34 located centrally of plate 28 and opening through its lower edge 36. It will be seen that the lower edge 36 of plate 28 and the lower edge 38 of plate 26 are somewhat recessed and include portions 42 which are adapted to engage a flat support, such as a table top.

The upper edge 32 of plate 26 and the upper edge 4-4 of plate 28 are cooperatively inwardly dished as at 46 for a purpose soon to appear. One of the plates, for example plate 28, is also provided with a valve to close off the neck 16, the same comprising a V-slit 48 opening through its upper edge 44 at a point closely adjacent the intersection of the plates, the slit being preferably angulated towards said intersection.

In use, the plates are assembled in crossed relationship via the interengaging slots 30 and 34. The inflatable member is then blown up. The neck 16 is then twisted, led around the lower edge 38 of one of the plates 26 and then into the slit 48 where it is pinched off and retained. The lower portion 50 of the inflatable member immediately above the neck 16 extends into the inwardly dished portion 46 of the plates, there to be engaged by portions of the upper edges of the plates around the dished portion 46 to retain the inflated member in a properly erect position. A person may then work on her coifiure or that of anothers in accordance with the indicia on the scalp, the three-dimensional appearance of which will simplify the operation.

In the modification shown in Figures 5-7, the base 14 is the same but the inflatable member 12 is provided only with facial indicia 22. The dome or scalp portion 20 is blank or unadorned, the inflatable member being provided at predetermined locations about the dome with protuberances 52. A thin flexible sheet 54, preferably of rubber or plastic is provided which is coextensive with the dome and which is provided with spaced slits 56 removably receiving the protuberances 52 so that the sheet covers the dome or scalp corresponding to the area of the hair. The removable sheet 54 carries coiflure indicia 58, here shown as hair waving curlers although other indicia of hair setting and/ or cutting may well be employed. Thus with this modification, one may employ a single base and inflatable member and a number of flexible adorned sheets 54 to produce a variety of three-dimensional pattern heads.

It will also be noted that base plate 26 is provided with a notch 60 opening through its lower edge 38 closely adjacent the intersection of said base plates, said notch receiving a portion of the neck or stem 16 while the latter is engaged in the pinch-off slit 48 in the upper edge of plate 28. Said notch 60 lifts the neck or stem thereby acting to center the inflatable member on the base. The notch 60 may also be employed with the base of the first modification of Figures 1-4.

Thus it will be seen that an article is provided which is collapsible to a fiat form, is light in weight and is capable of easy assembly and erection to a three-dimensional pattern head for a wide variety of coiffures. While preferred embodiments of the invention have here been shown and described, skilled artisans may make minor variations without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible pattern head for hair cutting, waving or styling comprising. an inflatable member including a neck through which air may be admitted, said member adapted to carry facial and hair styling indicia and a collapsible base to support said member when inflated, said base including a pair of plates, means removably retaining said plates in crossed relationship with the lower edges thereof positioned to engage a fiat support, the upper edges of said plates being inwardly dished to seat the lowerportion of said member adjacent said neck when said member is'infiated to keep said member erect, and valve means on one of said plates to close 01? said neck said means comprising a slit opening through the upper edge of said one plate closely adjacent the position where said plates cross, said neck extending around the lower edge of the other of said plates and being pinched in said slit.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means removably retaining said plates in crossed relationship includes interengaging slots, one opening through the upper edge of one plate and the other opening through the lower edge of the other plate.

3. The combination of claim 1 and a notch opening through the lower edge of said other plate adjacent the position where said plates cross, said neck passing into said notch before being pinched in said slit whereby tension is created to more firmly hold said plates in crossed relationship and to increase the grip of said neckin said slit.

4. A collapsible pattern head for hair cutting, waving or styling comprising an inflatable member including a neck through which air may be admitted, said member having facial indicia on one side thereof and a dome portion opposite said neck, a flexible sheet having hair styling indicia thereon, means removably securing said sheet over said dome portion when said member is inflated, and a collapsible base to support said member when inflated, said base including a pair of plates, means removably retaining said plates in crossed relationship with the lower edges thereof positioned to engage a flat support, the upper edges of said plates being inwardly dished to seat the lower portion of said member adjacent said neck when said member is inflated to keep said member erect, and valve means on one of said plates to close off said neck, said valve means comprising a slit opening through the upper edge of one of said plates adjacent the position where said plates cross, said neck extending around the lower edge of the other of said plates and being pinched in said slit.

5. The combination of claim 4 and a notch opening through the lower edge of said other plate adjacent the position where said plates cross, said neck passing into said notch before being pinched in said slit whereby tension is created to more firmly hold said plates in crossed relationship and to increase the grip of said neck in said slit.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherin said means removably retaining said plates in crossed relationship includes interengaging slots, one opening through the upper edge of one plate and the other opening through the lower edge of the other plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

